Queenscove Lady Page
by caity-b
Summary: Kaida of Queenscove, Neals daughter, wants to be a knight like her father and her godmother. Rating to be safe. I dunno whats gonna happen
1. The Letter

Disclaimer: I don't own any of it except my OCs. It's all Tammy's 

Hey, sophtheLOTRfan also helped with this fic. It's my first but if you guys really wanted to know that you probably could have figured that out.

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Kaida of Queenscove had been given a tough decision. Her father wanted her to become a healer like her grandfather, but what he didn't know was that she wanted to become a knight. Her father's best friend who was also her godmother was the second lady knight of Tortall and had proved that the Lioness had not been a fluke. Now it was more common for girls to become pages and there had been a new wing added to the castle for the girl pages though it was much smaller than the boys' wing and half of the rooms were still empty. The black haired girl wanted to follow in her godmother's footsteps as well as her father's who was also a knight of Tortall. She decided that it would be easier to decide if she talked to her godmother who was visiting Queenscove with her husband and two children.

She found her godmother teaching two young boys of around eight years old and a girl of around six years how to use a staff. One of the boys was her younger brother Neal and the other two were he godmother's and uncle Dom's children.

"Kel, can I talk to you"

"Of course you can, Kai." She left the three children with some simple exercises then led Kai to a bench in the rose garden.

"Well father wants me to become a healer like Grandfather." Kel gave a small laugh at this remembering all the times Neal had said he regretted not being a healer though he hadn't meant it. "But the thing is, I want to try for knighthood like you and Da."

Again Kel laughed. She was remembering a day twelve years ago when a seer child, Irnai, had prophesized that Neal's daughter would try for knighthood. Only the seer and Kel knew of this. It seemed that day had come. "Kai, have you told your father?" she asked guessing that the answer would be no.

"No," the girl responded.

"Well you should talk to him. I'm sure he will understand and you can still learn some healing like your father did, "the lady knight responded.

The girl got up and ran towards the house after giving her godmother a hug and throwing a "Thanks Kel," over her shoulder as she left. Kai ran to her father's study and found him reading a book behind his desk. She knocked before she entered. Her father raised his green eyes to look at his daughter and smile spread across his face. "Kai, Did you need something"

"Actually Da, I was wondering if I could talk to you."

"Of course sit down" Sir Nealan of Queenscove told his daughter.

"Well," the girl started, "I know you want me to become a healer, but Iwanttobeaknight," the girl finished all at once.

Though it had been mumbled the man knew what she had been trying to say. For a moment he sat there speechless. He had never thought that his baby girl would have wanted to become a knight. Then he looked in his daughter's eyes, which were almost identical to his own. He saw the strength both he and his wife, Yuki had seen when they named her Kaida, which was Yamani for little dragon and he realized that she would indeed make a good knight.

During her father's analysis Kai sat on her chair nervously. She wished that she had asked Kel to come with her then her father spoke. While she waited she looked around the room. The desk was large and made of mahogany. The four wooden legs had carvings down them. The top carving was the Queenscove coat of arms. It had a crown in a circle of rock and water. After that there was the symbol of a healer then a Yamani lucky cat and several Yamani symbols. On top of the desk were piles of papers. The bookshelf was behind the desk. One shelf had the Yamani lucky cat Kel had given Sir Neal for Midwinter one year alongside the _shukusen_ Yuki had given him as he exited the Chamber of Ordeal, the last test before a squire becomes a knight. There were also several trinkets that Kai and Neal had given their father. On the next shelves down there were books on the Immortals War, Tactics and Strategy, Tortall and it's neighbors and of course Emry of Hayrse who happened to be Kai's great-grandfather though she had never met him. Her fathers voice broke the silence, "I will write a letter to the training master now."

"Oh thank you Da, thank you." The girl rushed around the desk and gave her father a hug. "Now off you go, I need to write this letter," her father said with a sad smile, "Oh and don't forget to tell your mother or she'll have my head, or at least my head will have a bruise from that fan of hers". The girl rushed out of the room with a huge smile on her face forgetting the yamani manners that her mother had taught her and forgetting that she was to show no emotion.


	2. The Departure

Disclaimer: Still don't own anything 

Okay, here is chapter 2. I edited the first chapter. All I really did was change the ages of Kel's kids and Kai's bro.

Thanks to my two actual reviewers (glares at sophtheLOTRfan)

**sirladyknight- thanks. Mithros' Mercenaries was great. Can't wait for the next chapter**

**lost goddess of the shadows- I thanked you once. Just wanted to say it again**

Well here it is

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Kai woke up at dawn. Her father had received the reply to his letter the day before. She had been accepted. Her father was going to take her to Corus and they were leaving today. Kai put on work clothes and went outside to join her mother, Kel and Kel's daughter, Ilane who were practicing with glaives. She picked up the weapon. It was a six-foot piece of wood with and eighteen-inch blade. The four females did intricate pattern dances and by the end of their practice had an audience.

Kai heard a voice saying, "Now would my four favorite ladies please come and eat breakfast before you start playing with those lethal fans of yours." She grinned as her father's green eyes became visible along with the slight smile he was wearing. "Kai, have you packed all your bags?"

"Of course, Da," the girl replied before hurrying off to change into suitable, clean clothes for breakfast.

Soon Kai and her father were on the road. Her father was less talkative than normal, but Kai was glad for this. She was thinking about her departure from Queenscove. The first to bid her goodbye had been Ilane.

"_Bye Kai." The younger girl gave the older one a hug and then said, "Make sure you write to me. I want to know all about Corus and about training so that I'll be ready to train to be a knight as well!"_

Kai smiled remembering the younger girl's words. Kel had smiled at them as well and was, Kai was sure, proud that her daughter had decided to follow in her footsteps. The next goodbye had been from Kel herself.

"_Here Kai," Kel said handing her a Yamani lucky cat. It was almost identical to the one she had give Kai's father when they were first year pages. "You won't need luck, but there's no harm in having a little extra. _

"_Also remember, when no one offers to be your sponsor apart from someone who gets in trouble every time he opens his mouth, beware. You are likely to spend the rest of your page days together and it will get you in plenty of trouble," while she was saying this she had a smile on her face and was looking at the older Neal of Queenscove who had been her sponsor. Then she finished in a more serious tone, "But you'll also have a friend for life." Both Neal and Kel smiled at this. "Goodbye Kel, show those boys that us girls are just as good."_

Kai had the little lucky cat in her saddlebags and remembered the advice. She definitely would show the boys that girls could be just as good, no better, than them. Kai grinned. This was going to be fun. The next goodbye had been from her brother.

"_Bye Kai, We're all gonna miss you," the ten year old had said. "Write to me?"_

"_Of course I will meathead." Kai had heard Kel and Dom calling her father that and decided that the name would suit the ten year old that looked like a ten year old version of his father._

"_Here." The boy offered her a box with the Queenscove arms on it. Inside were mementos from all the adventures the two had had together. There was a feather from the sparrow that they had adopted when they were five and three. There was a pile of sand from every beach they had been to. There was a leaf from the tree they had called their fort when they were seven and five and many more. Kai gave the boy a hug and saw the beginning of tears in his eyes. _

"_You'll be joining me in a couple of years," the girl said as healing magic the color of her eyes flowed from her hands to cool the boy's slightly puffy eyes. _

Kai sighed. She was really going to miss her brother. At least he would be coming to train when she was a third year page. The last goodbye had been the hardest.

"_Well," her mother told Kai, "It looks like your growing up." Kai could hear the tears in her voice. _

"_Ma, don't cry. You don't want to lose face. I promise I'll write." Her mother answered with a teary smile._

"_Of course, dear. Just remember your glaive exercises. Also this is for you." She handed Kai a shukusen. It was cream with a little, red dragon next to her name written in Yamani. "Don't forget, this is the best weapon to take with you when you don't want to be a threat. It's also very good for whacking disobedient husbands on the head," She finished with a smile._

"_Thank you Ma, although I don't have a disobedient husband. Do you think it works on anyone," she asked with mock innocence. _

"_Hmmm," her mother answered in this same tone, "I think it might." Both mother and daughter smiled and hugged until the girl's father reminded them that if they wanted to reach Corus today they should leave now._

Kai had the fan tucked into her belt and watched her father as they rode to Corus.

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Ok please review. I want at least one before I update, well maybe. I'm having fun.

Oh and just want to recognize the fact that Yay London! and very sad about what happened. Ummm, think that's it.

Oh I know it's kinda short but I wanted them arriving in Corus and her first day separate. Well now you know what's coming next.

Also I am willing to think about any ideas. I also want to know should this be only her first year or all four page years. New title ideas are welcome to. I don't really like this one.

caity-b


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